朱镕基答记者问

Foreword by Henry A. Kissinger

Publisher's Preface

List of Photographs and Credits

PART ONE: VICE PREMIER ZHU, 1993 to 1998

Vice Premier Zhu Talks with Reporters and Leading World Figures in Business and Diplomacy

Section One: The Chinese Vice Premier Talks with the Press

1. Talking with Germany's Handelsblatt about Economic and Trade Policy （May 6, 1993）

2. BusinessWeek Interviews the Vice Premier about China's Economic Plans （January 15, 1994）

3. A Conversation with Bulgaria's Dumas about China's Trade Relations with Eastern Europe （November 9, 1995）

4. Vice Premier Zhu Speaks with Uruguay's El Observador Anticipating Premier Zhu's Official Visit to Uruguay （February 3, 1996）

Section Two: Addressing Economic and Business Leaders as Vice Premier

5. China: The Promise of Partnership: A Keynote Speech to the Advanced Seminar on China's Economic Development in the Twenty-first Century （September 22 1997）

PART TWO: PREMIER ZHU AT HOME AND ABROAD, 1998 to 2002

Section One: Talking with the Media

Interviews

6. An Interview with The Wall Street Journal （April 2, 1999）

7. Talking with The Globe and Mail of Canada （April 2, 1999）

8. A Conversation with Jim Lehrer of PBS NewsHour （April 9, 1999）

9. Discussing World Affairs with CNN （April 13, 1999）

10. An Interview with Spain's EFE News Agency: Anticipating a Visit to China by the Spanish Prime Minister （June 21, 2000）

11. A Sino-Japanese Conversation: Premier Zhu Talks with a Renowned Japanese Economist and a NHK Newscaster （September 21, 2000）

12. Discussing Sino-Korean Relations: An Interview with the CEO of Joong Ang Ilbo （September 21, 2000）

13. A Dialogue with the Japanese People Premier Zhu's Interview with the Tokyo Broadcasting Station （TBS） （October 14, 2000）

14. A Conversation with the Khabar Agency: Anticipating Premier Zhu's Official Visit to Kazakhstan （August 30, 2001）

15. An Interview with The Irish Times: Premier Zhu Talks about His Forthcoming Visit to Ireland （August 30, 2001）

16. Discussing Sino-Belgian Relations with La Libre Belgique （September 6, 2001）

17. Briefing German Journalists: An Interview with Three German Media Groups: German Television's ARD Fernsehen; Stern Magazine; and Handelsblatt. （October 22, 2001）

18. Discussing Sino-Russian Relations with Itar-Tass News Agency （August 21, 2002）

Press Conferences

19. Meeting the Press as the New Premier: Premier Zhu's Briefing at the First Session of the Ninth National People's Congress （March 19, 1998）

20. A Year as Premier: A Press Conference at the Second Session of the Ninth National People's Congress （March 15, 1999）

21. China's Premier Zhu and U.S. President Clinton Meet the Press: Excerpts from a Joint Press Conference （April 8, 1999）

22. Two Years In: Premier Zhu Meets the Press at the Third Session of the Ninth National People's Congress （March 15, 2000）

23. Briefing the Japanese News Media: Premier Zhu Discusses His Forthcoming Visit to Japan （October 8, 2000）

24. Questions and Answers at a Tokyo Press Conference: Premier Zhu Talks to Japanese Reporters about the State of Sino-Japanese Relations （October 16, 2000）

25. Three Years In: Talking with Reporters at the Fourth Session of the Ninth National People's Congress （March 15, 2001）

26. （45） Four Years In: A Press Conference at the Fifth Session of the Ninth National People's Congress （March 15, 2002）

Around the World with the Hong Kong Press Corps

27. In England: On the Asia-Europe Meeting, the Future of China, and the Asian Economic Crisis （March 31 to April 1,998）

28. In Washington: The Chinese Premier Visits a Venerable Teacher: Premier Zhu Talks with Hong Kong Reporters about his Meeting with Professor Yu-Hsiu Ku （April 9, 1999）

29. In Brussels: On Sino-EU Relations, International Cooperation over Illegal Immigration, and Security Issues （July 10 to 12, 2000）

30. In Tokyo: A Ride on the Maglev: Premier Zhu Talks with Reporters about Train Transportation （October 16, 2000）

31. In Seoul: On the Financial Crisis, and International Cooperation in Fighting Crime （October 18 to 22, 2000）

32. In Singapore: On Asian Economic Cooperation （November 23 to 25, 2000）

33. In Bangkok: On the Asian Economy, and China's Great Western Development （May 19 to 21, 2001）

34. In Brunei: On Cooperation between China and ASEAN, and More （November 4 to 6, 2001）

35. In India: On Sino-Indian Relations, and the Hong Kong and Mainland Economies （January 14 to 18, 2002）

36. In Turkey: On Sino-Turkish Economic and Trade Relations （April 15 to 18, 2002）

37. In Cairo: On the Chinese Economy, and Sino-Egyptian Trade Potential （April 20 to 22, 2002）

38. In Nairobi: On Sino-Kenyan Cooperation, Environmental Protection and Bilateral Trade with Turkey, Egypt and Kenya （April 24 to 26, 2002）

39. In South Africa: On Sustainable Development, the Effect of China's Entry into the WTO, China's Fiscal Policy, and More （August 31 to September 6, 2002）

40. In Copenhagen: On Asian-European Cooperation, China's Investment Environment and Economic Policy （September 23 to 25, 2002）

41. In Phnom Penh: On an China-ASEAN Free Trade Zone, and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation in Tourism （November 2 to 3, 2002）

Section Two: Speaking to World Business and Economic Leaders

42. Addressing Supporters of U.S.-China Friendship and Business: Premier Zhu's Talk at a Welcoming Dinner in Washington （April 9, 1999）

43. Meeting in Middle America: Premier Zhu's Talk to U.S. Business and Political Leaders （April 12, 1999）

44. Talking Trade with the New York Business Community: Premier Zhu's Address at the New York Economic Club （April 13, 1999）

45. Sino-American Relations in the Twenty-first Century: Premier Zhu's Speech to Students and Faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology （MIT） （April 14, 1999）

46. Speaking on Sino-Philippine Relations: Premier Zhu's Address to the Philippine Business Community （November 27, 1999）

47. Presenting the "Singapore Lecture": Premier Zhu's Speech on "China and Asia in the New Century" （November 30, 1999）

48. Talking about Sino-Italian Relations: Premier Zhu's Speech to Italian Industrialists （July 6, 2000）

49. Speaking of Industry and Finance: Premier Zhu's Talk to the European Business Community in Belgium （July 11, 2000）

50. Meeting with Irish Business Figures: Premier Zhu's Speech on Prospects for Sino-Irish Trade and Cooperation （September 4, 2001）

51. Speaking to Business Leaders in Pakistan: Premier Zhu's Address on Sino-Pakistani Trade and Cooperation （May 12, 2001）

52. Talking to Russian Business and Technology Leaders （September 10, 2001）

53. Meeting the Turkish Business Community and Friends of China in Istanbul （April 19, 2002）

54. A Talk with Egyptian Business Leaders about Cooperation and Trade with China （April 21, 2002）

55. Addressing French Businessmen on Economic Opportunities in China （September 27, 2002）

China's historic shift- from a nation emerging from the shadows of decades of diplomatic and economic isolation to a major player in the world arena - was by no means certain when Zhu Rongji took the helm as Premier in 1998. Deng Xiaoping's reform policies， begun in 1978， had set the nation on the path toward rapid development and modernization， and opened the
door to international investment and trade. By the late 1990s， however， this direction was challenged by a host of troubles： an overheated economy threatening inflation， redundant state-owned enterprises， creeping corruption， and a gaping disparity between coastal and inland economies. The harder， more fundamental reforms needed to solve these problems， were yet to be tackled. It would take a very committed and strong-minded reformer to bring about these often politically difficult changes. To usher China into a new age of international responsibility， it would take a leader who could communicate especially adroitly and comfortably around the world.
These traits - and Zhu's critical role in moving China forward - are amply evident in this collection of the Premier's talks and interviews with foreign journalists.
Originally published in Chinese in 2009， it was the first book to give such a wide-ranging， front-row view of Zhu at work in conducting and explaining China's foreign and economic policies during his time as Vice Premier of China （1991 to 1998） and then Premier （1998 to 2003）， It also offers readers a glimpse of Zhu's forthright character， his feistiness and sense
of humor.